Heavier-than-air craft



Feb. 11, 1930. J. w. SHEAN HEAVIER-THAN-AIR CRAFT Filed May 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 11, 1930. J, w, SHEAN 1,746,320

HEAVIER-THAN-AIR CRAFT Filed y 2. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor If W'S'hean Feb. 11, 1930. J. w. SHEAN 1,746,320

HEAVIER-THAN-AIR CRAFT Fil y 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor B] 2mm Attorney Feb. 11, 1930.

J. W. SHEAN HEAVIER-THAN-AIR omit Filed May 12, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Attorney Patented Feb. 11, 1930 P TENT? OFFICE JOSEPH WILLIAM SHEAN,

or SPEARVILLE, KANSAS EEAVIER-THAN-AIR CRAFT Application filed May 12,1928. Serial No. 277,121.

The present invention relates generally to heavier than air craft more particularly to an air ship which may be maneuvered vertically and horizontally with considerable'fa- :ility so as to make landings in comparatively confined places and to take oflf from such places and to fly along in the air during normal travel.

An important object of the invention resides in the provision of an-air ship of this nature which will accommodate a plurality of passengers in comfort and which may be controlled by the aviator with considerable ease and dispatch, in a very convenient manner.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of air craft of this nature with lifting propelling units arranged along the sides thereof and means 29 associated with said unit for decreasing the capacity thereof when so desired without changing the engine speed.

Another very important feature of the invention resides in the provision of foldable wings which are controlled from the inside of the air ship.

A still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of an air ship of this nature which is comparatively simple inits construction, strong and durable, compact and convenient in its arrangement of parts, and thoroughly efiicient and reliablefor the purpose intended.

With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the air ship embodying the features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective View of one of the lifting propelling units, Figure 3 is a top plan view of the airship,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the wings,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the control shaft for the wings,

Figure 6 is a perspectiveview of one of the shields associated with one of the propeller units,

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through the air ship,

Figure 8 is a front elevation thereof, 5

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the control links,

Figure 10 is a horizontal detail section through the front propeller unit,

Figure 11 is a longitudinal horizontal sectipn through the lower portion ofv the air s 1p,

Figure '12 is a vertical transverse section through an intermediate upper portion of the casing and Figure 13 is a detail View showing the connection of one of the control links with one of the propeller unit shafts.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that the numeral 5 denotes the bottom casing on which is built an upper casing 6. The upper casing 6 is provided with a front control compartment 7, an intermediate passenger compartment 8, and a rear baggage compartment 9. 7

Windows 10 are provided in the compartment 7 in order that the aviator seated at 11 may have a vision to both sides and straight ahead as the forward portions of the casing 6 taper forwardly in a nose as is clearly illustrated in Figure 8.

The compartment 8 preferably has a window 12 for each seat 13 therein. A door 14 is provided between compartments 7 and 8 and another door 15 is provided between compartments 8 and 9 so that a person may readily pass from one compartment to the other.

The compartment 7 has a curved partition 16 therein dividing off the forward portion so that suitable gearing may be mounted therein as will be more apparent as the description proceeds. Along the upper portions of the sides of the casing 6 there are formed semi-cylindrical shields 18 opening outwardly to the side and shafts 19 are concentrically journaled in these shields and have paddles 2O radiating outwardly therefrom at angles to one another, the paddles being secured intermediate their I ends as is clearly illustrated in Figure 2- Auxiliary shields 21 are slidable over the upper portion of the shields 18 so that they may be extended outwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure 12 to minimize the effectiveness of the blades of the propeller unit.

These blades move downwardly out in the air to provide a lifting action and move upwardly within the shields 18 as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 12 noting the arrows thereon.

The auxiliary shields 21 may be adjusted by links 22 connected to rods 23 slidable in the sleeve 24. The rods 23 are connected to a rod 25 extending longitudinally secured to a control rod 26 slidable through a bearing sleeve 27. This control rod 26 terminates above the seat 11 and is provided with a notch 28 with which a catch 29 may be engaged for the purpose of holding the auxiliary shield outwardly or in active position.

Extensions 30 are arranged in two pairs one projecting forwardly and the other rearwardly from the bottom casing 5. Substantially semi-cylindrical shields 31 are mounted between the extensions 30 one at the front and one at the rear of the casing 5. A shaft 32 is journaled through the ends of each shield 31 and one end ofthe shaft is rotatable and rockable in a bearing 33 in one extension 30 and extends through a bearing 34 in the opposite extension 30 which allows the shaft at this end to be moved longitudinally of the air craft-for the purpose of changing the angle of said shaft for steering purposes. Propeller blades 35 are fixed intermediate their ends to the shaft 32 one in each end of. the shield 31. A worm gear 36 is fixed to the center of the shaft 32 and a spider frame 37 is journaled on the shaft 32 and functions as a bearing for a shaft 38 which has a worm 39 thereon connected with the worm gear 36.

The shaft 38 is connected with a shaft 40 by universal joint 41. The shields 31 have cranks 42 with which are connected links 43 engaged with levers 44 rockable in the ends of the casing 5, one extending into the control compartment 7.

The other lever 44 is provided with a link connection 45 with a lever 46 in the control compartment so that the shields may be rocked about their axis to change the front and rear propeller units for travelling forwardly or for lifting.

The direction of travel of the shaft 32 is indicated by arrows 50 in Figure 7. Wheeled trucks 51 are mounted in the extension 30 one adjacent each end of the casin 5. A prime mover 52 such as a hydro-car on em gine is mounted in the rear portion of the casilpg 5 and a fuel tank 53 is associated therewit Y The crank shaft of the engine 52 has a gear 54 thereon meshing with a gear 55 on the shaft 40 for driving the front and rear propelling units. Gearing 56 o eratively connects the shaft 40 with a shaft 5 extending up alongside the rear end of the casing 6 and operatively connected with a transverse horizontal shaft 57 by gearing 58. The ends of the shaft 57 are operatively connected by gearing 59 with shafts 19.

A pair of wings 60 have relatively narrow inner ends 61 swingable on a vertical pintle 62 rising from the approximate center of the casing 6. Each end 61 is provided with a fixed pulley 63. Cables 64 are trained over these pulleys 63 and also over pulleys 65 on a control shaft 66 ournaled vertically through the casing and terminating in a control handle 67 on the lower end thereof so that the aviator may control these win s to swing them outwardly to function as or inary aeroplane wings or to swing them to extend longitudinally over the casing 6 thus being ineffective.

Links 68 are connected with opposite ends of shaft 32 as is indicated at 69. One of the links 68 is offset intermediate its ends as at 69 so as to extend transversely across the bottom casing 5 as is indicated in Figure 11, so that both of these links may be controlled by the same .lever 7 O rockably mounted on a bracket 71 inside the casing 5 and controlled by a hand lever 72 through a link 73 by rocking lever the axis of shafts 32 and the shields are shifted for imparting dirigibility to the craft.

The windows 12 mounted on one side of v the casing 5 are mounted in doors 12 so that the passages may readily exit from and go into the compartment 8. Of course the doors are also used by the aviator. The shields 31 are slotted as is indicated at 31' to accommodate the shaft 38 and to allow these shields to be rocked as previously indicated.

The engine, of course, will be controlled by any well known conventional means and when the same is in operation and rotates the gear 54 and the shaft 40 it will be seen that i the four propeller units described are in operation and the shields 31 may be shifted or rocked so as to place their openings facing the front and rear respectively thus causing each propeller unit to assist in lifting the air craft and at the same time the side propeller units will lift the air craft.

At this time the Wings are folded.- After the craft has reached the desired height the auxiliary shields may be brought into play to minimize the effectiveness of the lift of these propeller units and the front and rear ipropellers may be adjusted for horizontal ight.

- The main drive propeller is disposed at 75 at the nose of the casing 6 and is operated through gearing 76, a shaft 77 and gearing 78 operatively connected to the shaft 77 with the shaft 40. It will be seen that in horizontal flight the wing will be extended laterally as is shown in Figure 3. All the controls are accessible from the seat 11 in the control compartment 7 so that the apparatus may be conveniently manipulated with perfect safety both in landing, taking off and ordinary maneuvering in the air.

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility and advantages of the invention.

will now be quite apparent without a more detailed description thereof. It will be seen that in horizontal flight the air ship may be steered from side to side by shifting the shaft 32.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exemplification since in actual practice it will attain the fea-. tures of advantage enumerated as desirable inthe statement of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit-0r scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In air craft of the class described, a body, a pair of wings, means for pivotally connecting the wings with the body so that said wings may be extended longitudinally of the body or transversely thereof, a pulley fixed to each wing at the pivot thereof, cables trained over the pulley, and means for operating the cables to swing the wings simultaneously outwardly to extend laterally or simultaneously inwardly to extend longitudinally, lift propeller units on the sides of the lgogy, lift propeller units at the ends of the 2. In air craft of the class described, a body, a pair of wings, means for pivotally connecting the wings with the body so that said wings may be extended longitudinally of the body or transversely thereof, a pulley fixed to each wing at the pivot thereof, cables trained over the pulley, and means for operating the cables to swing the wings simultaneously outwardly to extend laterally or simultaneously inwardly to extend longitudinally, lift propeller units on the sides of the body, lift propeller units at the ends of the body, last mentioned units including means for adjusting them so that they may be utilized in creating horizontal propelling ports for the craft.

3. An air craft of the class described, a body, propeller units at the front and rear of the body, each propeller unit comprising a shaft, a semi-cylindrical casing rockable on the shaft, propeller blades on the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, means for adjusting the shield, and means for shifting the shaft longitudinally of the body for affecting dirigibility.

et. An air craft of the class described, a body, a prime mover in the body, a pair of propeller units one at the front and one at the rear of the body, each propeller unit comprising a shaft, means for driving the shaft from the prime mover, means for rocking the shaft on one end, a shield rockable on the shaft, and means for shifting the shield about the shaft, a pair of fixed shields attached to the opposite sides of the body, a shaft journaled in the fixed shields, means operatively connecting the last mentioned shaft with the prime mover, propeller blades on the last mentioned shaft, auxiliary shields associated with the fixed shields, means for slidably mounting the auxiliary shields on the top of the fixed shields, and means for extending the auxiliary shields outwardly, a pair of wings pivotally mounted on top of the body to extend laterally thereof or longitudinally thereof, and means for shifting the wings.

5. An air craft of the class described, a body, a prime mover in the body, a pair of propeller units one at the front and one at the rear of the body, each propeller unit comprising a shaft, means for driving the shaft from the prime mover, means for rocking the shaft on one end, a shield rockable on the shaft, and means for shifting the shield about the shaft, a pair of fixed shields attached to the opposite sides of the body, a shaft journaled in the fixed shields, means operatively connecting the last mentioned shaft with the prime mover, propeller blades on the last mentioned shaft, auxiliary shields associated with the fixed shields, means for slidably mounting the auxiliary shields on the top of the fixed shields, and means for extending the auxiliary shields outwardly, a pair of wings pivotally mounted on top of the body to extend laterally thereof or longitudinally thereof, and means for shifting the wings, a main drive propeller disposed at the forward end of the body and operatively connected to the prime mover.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH WILLIAM SHEAN. 

